Jeannette51

I precut my fabrics and place them with the pattern in zip lock bags. Then when we travel to Arizona for the winter, I just grab a few of my kits and I am set to sew for the winter. Much easier to cut the patterns in the comfort of my sewing room than in the trailer. Works like a charm and decreases the stash each year also. that helps for the new fabrics I purchase when visiting quilt shops on our travels.

ghostrider

That method wouldn't work for me at all. Pulling fabrics and setting them aside somewhere (hidden out of sight in pizza boxes, sealed in plastic bags where they can't breathe...gasp!...or just removed from the general fabric population) for who knows how long, would frustrate me no end.

It puts fabrics 'off limits' for other uses, eliminates choices from consideration in the building of other quilts, and possibly creates a need to shop for very similar fabrics for a quilt I want to make 'this very minute'. I quilt for today, not someday. I've seen far too many 'somedays' never arrive for far too many people so I choose to live, or at least to quilt, in the the here and now. Nope wouldn't work for me at all.

quiltmom04

Yes, I do do this. Especially if I have purchased fabric that coordinates, I make sure I keep them together. I have a bin that holds " cooridnated projects" and each project has its fabric and pattern in a zip lock bag. I have to admit that I've taken some fabric out in a pinch, but I try not to.

weezie

When fabrics are stored by color, I have big problems "seeing" a quilt and coordinating fabrics becomes a bit of a chore. I store most of my larger pieces on clothes hangers (a la Leah Day) in a closet in a "this goes with this and this" arrangement. This way, many of them are already matched up when I choose a pattern to make. I have a couple of small stacks on a shelf of anything a yard or less, easy to go through when I need to. Because I don't have a huge stash, this works well for me.

GrannieAnnie

LOL, there's always something to buy! As in the newest Hancock's and CT catalogues. I do put stuff in bunches though. God bless big zip lock bags.

pyffer3

I haven't completed too many quilts yet, but I guess I do this as I have a few shoe boxes in my craft closet with fabric and pattern ready for me to start. I haven't pre-cut anything as I am not that organized, but I have 3 future projects with fabric and patterns in separate boxes, plus coordinating fabric I got from CT but can't decide on pattern yet. I am gonna have to get those large zip bags. That's a great idea as it would definitely give me a little more space for some more fabric!

Sandrea

I am so glad I read through all the posts here. So many great ideas for organizing our stash!! thanks everyone

AZ Jane

When you can find them, the 2 1/2 gallon size is perfect for this!!

pollyjvan9

Thanks for all your comments, really appreciate the tips. One more thing I am going to do is take a photo of each kit, print out 3x5" photos, staple into a little 'book' and hang it on a pegboard where I will see it everyday so that I don't forget what I have 'in waiting'.

LUANNH

YES I do it all the time this way and not for just quilts, it's all together and I can just grab and go, I even put in the
zippers, buttons, trims and ect. I even have the blocks for a applique quilt that I am making together with the pattern and fabric in manila envelopes (1 for each block) as each block is different and use different fabrics.